Non-motoring > Should I worry about this? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Crankcase Replies: 17

 Should I worry about this? - Crankcase
It was time for my annual battle to get a Government Gateway ID set up. I've never before managed to get it to work - today I did.

However.

In order to get it to work, it forced me through three questions. One was about previous personal hire contracts, and another was about mobile phone contracts. All fine, answered those.

The third, though, and this is where it fell over before, is that it asks "which of the following addresses have you been associated with"? It offers four or five choices, none containing the town, just a number and a road.

As always before, the list it offers was meaningless to me - none of them is not an option however.

I stabbed one at random. Amazingly, it said ok, and took me through. Gateway ID created, security checks passed.

I then googled the partial address I'd said "yes" to, and it's a street in the next village. An unusual road name and I think it's probably unique.

It still means nothing to me. Should I be worried, and how do I check if there's an issue of some sort here? I don't know anything about credit agencies etc.

I suspect trying to get an answer from "the government" is entirely pointless, so wondered if anyone here has had similar, or has any grown up suggestions?

 Should I worry about this? - Bromptonaut
Not much experience of Government Gateway (though I got one once to check my NI record). I do however have experience in the analogous issue of ID for people claiming Universal Credit.

The theory is that the claimant does this using a system called UK Verify. This is hosted by the Cabinet Office but uses commercial providers such a credit referencing outfits, Post Office etc. It uses a combination of ID documents such as passport/driving licence and also address/electoral register and credit record type data.

It's improved a bit over the 14 months or so that I've been on this work but it still has a high failure rate. Sometimes it just hangs; the claimant is left watching what one of my colleagues calls the Windows Tumble Drier for ages. For some cohorts like youngsters with limited address and no credit history, people who've moved around a lot and of course EU migrants there's not enough to go on.

Those people would normally attend an ID interview at the Job Centre. Some will be able to satisfy their Job Coach with documentation. For others DWP uses biographical information:

data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2016-0778/Identity_verification_and_standards_of_evidence_v4.0.pdf

The biographical data there seems similar to the questions posed for you.

During the current crisis Jobcentres are closed except for the vulnerable and all of this is done over the phone.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 23 May 20 at 10:14
 Should I worry about this? - CGNorwich
Government Gateway no longer exists. Services using it were gradually moved to other systems inlcuding Gov.Uk including Gov.uk.Verify and this was completed March 2019


HMRC developed its own system using the old Government Gateway login.
 Should I worry about this? - smokie
When I was checking my pension earlier Government Gateway is the first item on the list of methods to access it - "Sign in with Government Gateway"

Next is Gov.UK verify, which I spent a while setting up when iot came out, only for them to discontinue with the provider I chose and last is a digital identity from another European country.
 Should I worry about this? - Crankcase
Yes, i had to create a Government Gateway ID today for all this.

I also used the Government web contact form for the pension service. I quickly had an automated email back saying their form had been sent to the wrong government email address, as they have all now changed.

Clearly nobody has told the pension service web designer.
 Should I worry about this? - CGNorwich
A useful summary
taxscouts.com/government-gateway-replacement/
 Should I worry about this? - sooty123
I've similar issues with gov website, I can't get another account set up nor can I get access to the one I've got for reasons that any is able to explain. So I end having to do stuff manually over the phone.

But of a chore having to explain it every time I ring up, despite them saying there's a note on my file/account about it all.
 Should I worry about this? - Terry
I would worry a bit.

If the system now thinks you live at an address which clearly is not yours, mail from other government departments may also be wrongly addressed - if not now but in the future.

The address could be used for (say) your pension details, car registration, credit agencies, TV licence, tax correspondence, tax refunds (?) etc etc.

Probaly best therefore to get address changed - I assume once you have logged in that there is a way to change your personal details on line. Or you may need to wait for a call centre to answer the phone!
 Should I worry about this? - Duncan
Just checked mine by logging in. Lots of questions - would you prefer to answer multiple choice security questions, or answers from your passport? went for the multiple choice questions, gave me a load of addresses. A question to the effect IIRC - do you recognise any of these addresses? Chose the one I used to live at.

Is the right answer!

A few more clicks and it told me how much income I had declared last year, tax paid etc.

I only did it out of curiosity, but it all seems to work.
 Should I worry about this? - zippy
I would be concerned as it suggests a financial connection that you may not know about.

Are you on the committee of any clubs or societies where another member may live at the alternative address?

It’s worth running a free credit check at
www.moneysavingexpert.com/creditclub/

Saying that NS&I insist that I have an overdraft based on a credit reference agency that I don’t have. It’s on my bank account and the above confirms the correct details but NS&Is source does not!
 Should I worry about this? - sooty123
It’s worth running a free credit check at
>> www.moneysavingexpert.com/creditclub/
>>
>

I never done one of those online credit checks, worth bothering with?
 Should I worry about this? - Bromptonaut
>> I never done one of those online credit checks, worth bothering with?

I use Credit Karma (was Noddle). Log in every month or so just to check there's nothing unexpected.
 Should I worry about this? - sooty123
>> >> I never done one of those online credit checks, worth bothering with?
>>
>> I use Credit Karma (was Noddle). Log in every month or so just to check
>> there's nothing unexpected.
>>

Did you ever find anything unexpected?
 Should I worry about this? - Bromptonaut
>> Did you ever find anything unexpected?

No but I'm reassured that everything is as I'd expect.
 Should I worry about this? - Ambo
>>A few more clicks and it told me how much income I had declared last year, tax paid...

Exactly what did you log in to, Duncan? I tried Gov.UK and the preliminary list of facilities did not include tax paid. I pay tax by bank transfer and don't get acknowledgements. I would like to know that the amounts have actually been received. I know I would get a follow-up demand if not but I guess this would be accompanied by a fine
 Should I worry about this? - Duncan
>> >>A few more clicks and it told me how much income I had declared last
>> year, tax paid...
>>
>> Exactly what did you log in to, Duncan?

I started Googling 'Government Gateway', it went to Gov.uk, another box said 'sign in to HMRC Online Services, I clicked on that. I can't remember the exact sequence after that.

My tax affairs are boringly straightforward. I finally retired almost 10 years ago. All my various income streams are taxed at source. The little bit of stewarding I did, I finally stopped December 2019.

I can look at it again if you want me to, because I must confess I wasn't paying that much attention. As I said I only did it out of curiosity.

 Should I worry about this? - Manatee
Was this the government or one of the verification agencies? Chances are it's harmless, it could be a score-based ID check and if you got enough right in the other responses you could have passed anyway. However it does use mainly credit reference data so Zippy might have a point.
 Should I worry about this? - Crankcase
Thanks all. To answer a couple of questions, it was directly with the government. I was trying to access my state pension forecast.

None of the addresses offered were my own, nor did i recognise any of them. I'm not associated with anyone else at any other address either.

I suppose I'm concerned about possible identity theft so I'll look at the credit link thing above.

As an aside, i got the state pension estimate. I wonder if it will be true when I get there.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Sat 23 May 20 at 15:56
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